Useful Links

info[at]kingstonphilosophycafe.org.uk

Open University Department of Philosophy introduction with some useful links to other philosophy sites.

Some useful definitions and reading suggestions from the magazine Philosophy Now http://www.philosophynow.org/. To view the photocopy properly you need to zoom to around 150%.

A biographical essay

An essay by Stephen McGroggan on The Activity, Purpose and Origin of Metaphysics

Podcasts from Oxford philosopher, teacher and author, Marianne Talbot, including "A Romp Through the Philosophy of Mind" - does philosophy have anything sensible to say about the mind? - at http://podcasts.ox.ac.uk/series/romp-through-philosophy-mind. Also of interest, podcasts on Philosophy for Beginners, Critical Reasoning for Beginners, God Delusion Weekend, and A Romp Through Ethics for Complete Beginners...

“The Darwin Wars and the Battle of the Sexes: The Sceptical Feminist Thirty Years On” - philosopher Janet Radcliffe Richards' 2010 Bentham Lecture (http://www.humanism.org.uk/meet-up/events/view/126)at UCL. Janet Radcliffe Richards is Professor of Practical Philosophy at the University of Oxford, Distinguished Research Fellow at the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, and Senior Research Associate at the Department of Philosophy, UCL. Her first book, "The Sceptical Feminist", was critical of much existing feminist theory, offering a new approach which sacrificed neither rationality nor radicalism, and she remains sceptical.

Thomas Nagel's famous essay on bats and consciousness.

The Bentham Lecture 2008:"Terrorism, Torture and Human Rights".Professor Jonathan Glover gives a utilarian argument against torture.

BBC Radio 4 "In Our Time"'s Philosophy Resource follows on from the Greatest Philosopher vote of 2005. The material created to inform the audience for the vote has been turned into a permanent resource on philosophy.

World famous philosopher and humanist Daniel Dennett lectures on "A Darwinian Perspective on Religions: Past, Present and Future", March 2009.

Videos of lectures by experts on “ideas worth spreading” including a dozen or so that are broadly philosophical. Worth browsing for particular topics.

You can spend hours on this website, a portal to a lot of good articles on the internet, including many of interest to philosophers.

A series of annual radio lectures on significant contemporary issues, delivered by leading figures from the relevant fields. In the 2009 Reith Lectures Professor Michael Sandel discusses "A New Citizenship", the prospects of a new politics of the common good. In the archive of lectures from 1948 onwards, http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/features/the-reith-lectures/archive/, you can hear philosophers Bertrand Russell on "Authority and the Individual"(1948) and Onora O'Neill on "A Question of Trust" (2002).

Includes debates and talks on: "To be or not to be: A decision for the individual or the State?" on legal, medical and ethical arguments surrounding the issue of assisted suicide; "Common Values, Common Sense: The story of rights and freedoms in modern Britain" by Shami Chakrabarti, Director of Liberty; Ronald Dworkin Valedictory Lecture: " Can we disagree about law and morals?"

The Examined Life on-line Philosophy Journal: “A communication forum for the professional, student, and amateur philosopher".” Try also http://www.examinedlifejournal.com/index.shtml

A useful guide and a gateway to philosophy resources on the Internet, by Dr Peter J. King, University of Oxford. Try also http://users.ox.ac.uk/~worc0337/phil_index.html

Articles on philosophical topics. Try also http://philosophy.suite101.com/general

Podcasts of Philosophy Now's Tuesday evening discussions on Resonance FM, on a variety of philosophical subjects.

BBC R4 discussion programmes, including Robin Ince, Brian Cox, Alexei Sayle, Julian Baggini and Professor Raymond Tallis discussing "Is Philosophy Dead?". Listen to the podcast at http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/timc

Guy Woodall's philosophy blog - comments and criticism very welcome.

A subsite of The Guardian's Comment is free which deals with matters of belief and unbelief. Like the mother site, it carries articles from the paper, where these deal with religious or ethical subjects, but also a wide range of material specially commissioned for the web.

Brilliant podcasts of top philosophers interviewed by Nigel Warburton on bite-sized topics, e.g Simon Blackburn on Plato's Cave; Mary Warnock on Philosophy in Public Life; Stephen Law on The Problem of Evil; John Cottingham on The Meaning of Life; Miranda Fricker on Epistemic Injustice; Barry Smith on Wine; Alain de Botton on The Aesthetics of Architecture; Anne Phillips on Multiculturalism; Edward Craig on What is Philosophy?; Roger Crisp on Mill's Utilitarianism...

Monthly podcasts of discussions and interviews fronted by Julian Baggini, editor of The Philosophers' Magazine. Includes 2009 interviews with Michael Frayn, AC Grayling, Jonathan Sacks, Peter Singer, Timothy Williamson and Tony Wright MP.

"Small thoughts about big things; big thoughts about small things; expansive ideas in few words; seeds of thought, scatttered to either take root or not. The home for a variety of microphilosophical projects, including some videos, by the writer Julian Baggini,

Essays,videos and arguments on various ideas and philosophers.

"Small thoughts about big things; big thoughts about small things; expansive ideas in few words; seeds of thought, scatttered to either take root or not. Welcome the home for a variety of microphilosophical projects by the writer Julian Baggini" including videos, podcasts (for example an interview with Peter Singer).

A sample from Julian Baggini's collection of philosophical problems in which he asks some of the country's leading thinkers to put four of them under the mental microscope.

The TPM Online Philosophy Café includes material which is designed to appeal to people who are taking their first steps in philosophy and aims to have a philosopher of the month and to be provocative.

You can listen to BBC Radio 4’s “In Our Time” discussions on philosophical topics at their Philosophy Archive.

From belief in God to the irresistible urge to flirt with the opposite sex, there are some human impulses that even the biggest brains in psychology are unable to explain. Here are their greatest unanswered questions, from "The Independent", Monday, 5 October 2009.

Kingston Adult Education short course at the North Kingston Centre, Richmond Road, Kingston. Prospectus and more information from Kingston Adult Education.

...including several philosophy courses. Central London (nr Holborn, Russell Square), 42 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3AQ

Philosophy articles, bookstore, events, and discussion board

Bi-monthly, non-academic publication with news, articles, and columns aimed at those with an interest in philosophy.

Publised by the Royal Institute of Philosophy three times each year, Think is edited by Stephen Law. "The central aim of Think is to provide to a very wide audience – including schools, colleges and the general public – highly accessible and engaging writing by philosophers pre-eminent in their fields. Think also aims to undermine the popular impression that philosophy is pointless and wholly detached from everyday life."

See our "Useful Reading" pages.

Nigel Warburton reads extracts from his book on a wide range of important philosophical texts.Very useful introductions.

Thought- and discussion- provoking events, local and national

"Big Ideas is a series of events, mostly held in pubs in London. Anyone is welcome to turn up. Sessions generally start with a question. Someone who has some relevant expertise gives a very brief, informal talk. After that a discussion develops in a free and unstructured manner. It's not a lecture, and it's not a debate; it's a pub argument, but unlike any you've had before" [unless you've been to Kingston Philosophy Cafe!].

...meets on the first Sunday of the month at 12.30pm the Westbridge Pub Battersea Bridge Road.

An annual Kingston festival of debate and discussion, including many events of philosophical interest.

Kingston's annual festival of all things bookish - April to May.

Meet on 2nd Tuesday of each month at The Queen Dowager,North Lane,Teddington - some minimal information and contact details on Kingston Council website.

PFA is a London-based association open to everyone interested in philosophy, offering lectures, debates, workshops and philosophical walks, including Saturday afternoon debates at Mary Ward Centre, 42 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3AQ (recommended by some KPC participants).

Open University list of links to philosophy resources, including collections of texts.

David Edmonds and Nigel Warburton go in search of answers to the big ethical questions.

Nigel Warburton's website on free speech, with links to relevant material on the Internet on Free Speech). Warburton's book "Free Speech A Very Short Introduction" (Oxford, 2009)is reviewed in The Independent at http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/free-speech-by-nigel-warburton-1643537.html

A site "where you can learn about your own morality while contributing to scientific research on moral psychology."

A short questionnaire by Mark Vernon, designed to reveal something of your own philosophical preferences, and so match you up to the ancient Greek who might suit you best as your philosophy-guru. See also his new book "Plato's Podcasts: The Ancients' Guide to Modern Living".

A quiz linked with a new book by Mark Vernon (www.markvernon.com)"The Meaning of Friendship" (Palgrave Macmillan), "based on some thoughts of Nietzsche on friendship. He figured that there are ladder friendship types, who drive their way through life leaving friends behind, and circle friendship types, who gather friends in ever increasing circles. I've added the point friendship type, for those who feel the word friend should be kept only for close relationships." (Mark Vernon)

Grayling is one of the few contemporary philosophers who tackles questions like the meaning of life and is very readable. This is his website and links to his many books and articles.

Gerald Rochelle's Practical Philosophy - a site concerned with the practical application of Philosophy."Philosophy can help us all live our lives more fully. It is the best tool for sorting out dilemmas, problems or difficulties which face us in life. 'Being Philosophical' is an attribute which we all have, it just needs tapping into."

The School of Life is "a new cultural enterprise based in central London offering intelligent instruction on how to lead a fulfilled life". Worth checking out some of their events if you're interested in philosophy as a guide to life. See also a selection of their secular Sunday sermons, e g, Alain de Botton on the virtues of pessimism, or the timely thoughts of Mary Warnock on the need for a new political ethics,in the sermons archive at http://www.theschooloflife.com/Sermons/Past-Sermons.

"Because life is not a problem to be solved but a puzzle to be lived" "From Plato to Bertrand Russell philosophers have engaged wide audiences on matters of life and death. The Art of Living series aims to open up philosophy's riches to a wider public once again. Taking its lead from the concerns of the ancient Greek philosophers, the series asks the question, 'How should we live?'" September 2008 topics include: illness, sport, hunger, well-being, pets, work, fame, deception, clothes.

Hermione Eyre, "If you don't think philosophy can make you happy, you haven't read Seneca" - feature in The Independent,Wednesday, 3 September 2008

Student Ben Wood set out to find out if "the French café still represents the flavour of society; the zeitgeist, a microcosm of political, cultural and social feeling." As part of his research he visited a Sunday morning Café Philo at the Café des Phares, Paris. Read all about a true French Philosophy Cafe discussing "J'ai peur de rien" (I am afraid of nothing) at http://www.benscafeblog.com/Bens_Caf%C3%A9_Blog/Homepage/Entries/2009/7/8_Judgement_Day%3A_Caf%C3%A9_Philo.html.

Sceptical about "alternative medicine" and other supernatural stuff? But not about truth or knowledge? You might enjoy this beat poem.

Philosophy isn't just for adults. SAPERE "is an educational charity whose members are interested in the role of philosophical enquiry in education both as a model of rigorous thinking and as a celebration of wonder and open-mindedness." The SAPERE website is a guide to P4C in the UK.